


There You Were

by youngandbitchy



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Avengers Compound, Avengers Tower, Based on a Tumblr Post, Eventual Romance, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, LGBTQ Character, Light Angst, Minor Tony Stark/Stephen Strange, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Parent Tony Stark, Post-Movie: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Reader-Insert, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Friendship, Self-Insert, Tumblr: young-and-bitchy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-14 08:01:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16909197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youngandbitchy/pseuds/youngandbitchy
Summary: Mantis and you work through your problems and feelings.





	1. There You Were

**Author's Note:**

> Anonymous requested: Can I request a stark! reader x mantis from guardians of the galaxy?like the reader teaching her about earth culture and finding her adorable and mantis being happy and confused about what could these romantic feelings mean??and bonus dad tony and other avenger(of your choice)being happy for her daughter and amazed and happy to know mantis yet confused on her behalf and manerisms?? 
> 
> (Check the fanart created by biscochito217 on Tumblr —  
> > https://biscochito217.tumblr.com/post/180599151036/anyway-so-this-sucks-but-i-am-too-tired-to-fix-it  
> > https://biscochito217.tumblr.com/post/180702790241/two-girls-resting-in-a-sofa-no-feet-apart-because )
> 
> Requests are open! (tumblr: young-and-bitchy / request here)

You were known to have a brooding attitude, and that worked… until Mantis came along. She was everything you were not, and she still managed to crack a smile out of you every three minutes. It was ruining your reputation.

The Guardians were staying at the compound until they decided if they were sticking on Earth for a while or if they were only visiting. A bunch of characters from outer space with advanced humans living in the same place was a recipe for disaster… And noise.

So much noise.

You didn’t stay at the compound, but you stopped by every day for Mantis.

At the moment, Groot and Rocket were arguing in the kitchen. At first, you’d think Groot was talking to the floor… until you looked behind the counter and realised a raccoon was speaking back at him.

“Are you filming this?!” Rocket exclaimed.

You put down your phone a bit. “This could earn me millions.”

“You’re the daughter of a billionaire!”

“I didn’t come here so you could attack me!”

“I am Groot,” Groot said.

Rocket snapped back at him. “No!”

“What did he say?”

“He said he wants the video,” Mantis responded.

You never thought you’d see a being made of branches with a Stark phone. “Sending it to you right now,” you informed.

“Stop it!” Rocket tried to climb on top of the counter, but he couldn’t reach it. “I came out to have a good time and I’m honestly feeling so attacked right now!”  

You snorted. “You taught him that?”

“I am Groot,” Groot answered, even though you didn’t understand what he meant.

“Teach him what?”

“It’s a meme.”

Rocket reached the top of the counter with the help of the drawers and snatched the phone away from Groot, so angry smoke would start coming out of his ears anytime soon.

“No phone for the rest of the week!”

“I am Groot!”

“Stark won’t give you any more phones, I’ll make sure of that.”

“I am Groot,” Groot mocked his tone.

You snorted. “C'mon, Mantis. Let’s go to the Games room.”

You grabbed her hand and she immediately felt it: the warmth, the fuzziness. It resembled the same feelings she had for you. Something she couldn’t quite explain. As an empath, Mantis learned to explain emotions with time and practice… but she couldn’t describe this.

Everytime she tried to explain it to herself, she got trapped in the first word.

(Y/N).

You plopped on the couch. When Mantis saw you do it, she did it too instead of going with her usual well-mannered way of sitting.

You couldn’t help but laugh. “First time you do that?”

She nodded. “Yes,” she responded.

You always found yourself getting trapped inside of her eyes. You tried not to, but everytime you stared into them, you encountered a new thing to focus on: how the deep brown stared into your soul or how her big eyes paid attention to you.

You were focusing too much on your reflection in her iris.

“Hm… What do you want to do today?” You asked her, your figure facing hers, your feet on the couch.

Mantis shrugged. “What do you want to do?”

“C'mon, Mantis. Everything we’ve done are things I want. What do you want?”

A small voice in her spoke:  _I want to know what these feelings mean._

But instead, she said, “I want to go outside.”

You mischievously smiled. “Well, for that… We’ll have to go to my place first.”

* * *

Mantis wasn’t on her usual gear anymore, and that day, you discovered something new about her: she had awful sense of style. You didn’t judge her about it. Instead, she let you pick something, and she came out of your bathroom wearing jeans and a blouse.

She looked simple yet beautiful.

You nodded. “Just…” You opened your closet and took a beanie from the head of a mannequin. You put it over her carefully, trying not to hurt her antenas.

“Ouch!”

“Sorry, sorry!” You laughed. “I’m just…. we don’t want any attention drawn to us, so…”

You made sure the beanie reached her ears, your fingers lingering there for a moment. When she realised, she looked at you. There it was again: that feeling Mantis couldn’t pinpoint, that feeling which’s unfamiliarity and perplexity was making her question her abilities.

There you were.

“(Y/N)?!” Your father called for you. “Are you home?!”

“In my room!” You answered.

Tony didn’t expect finding you with Mantis, but with one step into the room he noticed the tension. It’s the one he would share with Strange.

They’d gotten married.

“Mantis, hi,” Tony greeted her, frowning.

“Hello, Mr. Stark.”

“Please, call me Tony. Where are you headed?”

“I’m gonna show her around the city,” you informed him. “Times Square, Central Park… Maybe even Kamar-Taj, who knows?”

Tony shrugged. “She has the beanie, so… Just promise me I won’t have to deal with curious pedestrians .”

“I’ll do my best.” You turned to Mantis. “We’ll walk.”

Tony still had a frown on his face. “Mantis, could you leave me alone with my daughter for a moment?” He requested. “Wait for her in the living room.”

She looked at you. “It’s cool,” you replied.

Mantis grabbed from your rack a scarf that didn’t match her outfit on the way out and closed the door behind her.

Your dad squinted, giving you an amused smile. “You like Mantis.”

Your eyes widened. “What?”

“Did I stutter? You like Mantis. Like… like-like her.”

“For someone who went to MIT, you said the word  **like**  three times in a row.”

“You won’t get away from this conversation by messing with my grammar. Now, to the subject in hand: you like Mantis.”

You sighed, defeated. “So what? It’s not like she’ll reciprocate those feelings, so… I’m good, whatever.”

You went to walk away. “No, not  **whatever**. You like her!” He exclaimed.

“Shhhhhh!” You shushed him. “Keep your voice down, old man!”

“Ouch! That was uncalled for!”

“She was gonna hear you!” You took a deep breath. “She’s a Guardian, okay? Even if she likes me, she’s still not from this planet and might go back to the spaceship she lives in in no time, so… No, I won’t tell her the truth. I won’t say anything at all.”

“(Y/N), c'mon,” Tony started. “Look, she’s… we’re aware she’s not from this planet, okay? And she’s quirky and weird and lively, so… everything you’re not, BUT!— There’s a but: you can have something awesome here, like brownie with ice cream,” he explained. “What I mean is: you don’t find love around the corner, you don’t find it every day, so when you do, you take a chance and don’t let go.”

“Even if it breaks my heart?”

“Especially if it breaks your heart.”

You sighed. “She’s waiting for me, dad, so… I’m gonna go.”

You found Mantis at the kitchen munching on the Nutella and crackers previously left there by you. You snorted and took her out of the tower.

* * *

You showed her Times Square, pointing at her every brand and every artist, telling her about drama and gossips, music and movies. You went to McDonald’s, and since she didn’t know what she wanted, you ordered a little bit of everything.

When she saw a cheeseburger with lettuce, she grabbed a piece of it and held it. “Humans… eat this?”

You laughed to her disgusted face. “Don’t try it, it’s no good.”

…And she did. She put the piece of lettuce on her mouth and chewed it, following to spit it on a side of the tray.

“Peter mentioned bacon,” Mantis said. “He said it’s  **heavenly**.”

“And he’s right…” You looked around the burgers until you found it. “Here. This one is a double-meat, cheese and bacon burger.” You handed it to her. “The thing about McDonald’s is that their bugers have this sauce? It’s so good.”

Mantis opened the box the burger came in and she looked at it. “Isn’t it supposed to be bigger?”

You shrugged. “What can I say? They’re cheap.”

Mantis grabbed the burger, a drop of sauce falling on the box and she took a bite out of it. The sound she made after biting was similar to an orgasm, and the entire place turned to see where the sound had come from.

The thing with Mantis was that you were constantly laughing with her. Whether it was at McDonald’s from the embarrassment, at Central Park while feeding the ducks, or at Kamar-Taj while she touched things that she shouldn’t: she made you laugh, and she didn’t even know how she was doing it.

It didn’t mean she didn’t appreciate hearing you.

* * *

The next morning, Mantis was watching a show you’d recommended her… She’d spent the entire night awake.

Gamora knocked on her door and all she saw was a mess: candy wrappers on the floor, a Coca-Cola on the nightstand, tissues on the bed. Mantis was crying her heart out and pointing at the TV with her hand mumbling nonsense, thinking Gamora understood her.

“What are you watching?”

“Randall… He… And Kevin… I’m…” And she sobbed back into her tissue.

“Okay, you know what? Let’s pause that for a second, okay?”

Mantis nodded, sobbing. “Okay…”

Gamora grabbed the remote and paused the show. She put it on the nightstand and found an empty space on the bed where to sit on.

“Are you okay?”

Mantis frowned. “No! I’m sad! Did you… Did you see that?”

“Mantis, I mean okay outside of a fictional story.”

“Oh! I think so.”

Gamora arched an eyebrow. “You think so?”

Mantis sighed. “It’s about (Y/N).”

Gamora frowned. “What about her?”

“When I’m with her, I get this feeling that takes over my chest and my heart and my stomach… Like a titan is sitting on top of me, but not in a bad way. When I see her smile, my heart grows ten sizes. Like I can do anything! You know? I could jump off of a building and land safely if only she told me so…” She explained, but proceeded to wave her hand dismissively. “But it’s nothing!”

Gamora couldn’t believe her ears. “Mantis, you seriously don’t know?”

“Know what?”

“You’re in love with (Y/N).”

Mantis frowned and a small laugh came out of her. “No, I’m not,” she stated. “I know what romantic feelings are like. When I touched her, she felt the same, but when I touched Peter I sensed his feelings for you. This is different. This is stronger.”

“Stronger how?”

“I… I can’t explain it.”

“Well, let’s break it down, huh? Hm… How often do you think about her?”

“All the time. Well, not all the time. I don’t think about her when I’m watching the TV.”

Gamora was so certain Mantis was in love with you. “Have you… imagined… being with her? Romantically?”

Mantis shook her head. “No.”

“Do it now.”

Mantis laid her head back, picturing a romantic relationship with you: the holding hands, the cuddling, the kissing. The dread of introducing herself to Tony as his daughter’s girlfriend like she’d seen in terrestrial films, the comforting during the hard times, the slow dancing in a crowded room, watching the sun arise with a cup of coffee.

The privilege of being with someone whose feelings were as strong as hers.

“Oh,” Mantis murmured, facing Gamora again. “Oh… Oh! Oh my! Oh!” And Gamora had to prevent her from screaming. “Gamora, what do I do?”

“You tell her!” Gamora answered, getting up and dropping some tissues with her.

“I can’t just tell her! I need a big gesture! Something BIG, and I mean big.”

Gamora sighed. “Have anything in mind?”

Mantis offered Gamora a plotting smile.

* * *

 **You:**   _Hey, Mantis? My shift just doubled the time, my patient is impaled through the chest, so that’s fun, hm… I’ll see you around eight._

When you walked into the compound, the place was abnormally quiet and dark. FRIDAY’s voice startled you. “Welcome, Ms. Stark.”

“Damn it, FRIDAY, you scared me,” you said. “Where is everyone?”

“They’re waiting for you by the pool, Ms.”

“But I didn’t see anyone…”

All of the sudden, the lights from the pool went on, you being able to see them through the panoramic windows. You frowned. “Okay…”

You were certain your eyes deceived you. Everyone was there, and you mean  **everyone** : your father, your step-father, the Avengers, the Guardians. Mantis stood by a golden balloon arch reading cards and there were fairy lights around the place.

Mantis waved at you, showing you a bright smile.

You snorted, walking towards her as you took in the entire scenario. “Mantis, what is this? What is everyone doing here?”

“I invited them,” Mantis confirmed.

“I’m here in case you pass out,” Sam said.

You snorted. “What’s going on?” You asked her.

Mantis raised her cards. “I wrote it!” She jogged on the spot, mumbling for herself  **okay, okay**  several times. Peter had to grab her arm and beg her to stop. She took a deep breath, and started talking.  _“(Y/N), we’ve been friends for ninety days, which is the time I have been on Earth. But for eighty-nine days, twenty-three hours and fifty-nine minutes, there has been this… weight on my chest I can’t describe. Another thing that can’t be described is love. It’s funny to me that… the thing that makes us brave and better is summed up in a word that can’t be defined.”_  Your eyes watered.  _“It holds power, it holds purpose. My purpose tonight is to tell you that I am in love with you… You make me brave, you make me better, and I want to be in a relationship with you… if you’ll have me.”_

You let out a sob with a smile on your mouth. The people surrounding you waited anxiously for an answer. You nodded. “Yes. Of course, yes.” Mantis let out a shout and jumped on the spot before hugging you tightly. “I love you, too,” you mumbled on her ear.

It wasn’t a speech, it wasn’t shouted. It was quiet and short, and for Mantis, it was enough… because she was touching you, and she could feel it. She could feel the truth, the strength, the love. As strong as hers.

She started crying. You broke the hug to look at her and put your hands on her shoulders. “What? What is it? What are you crying about?”

“I just… I just love you… so much…” She sobbed, and behind you, you could hear Drax crying on Bucky’s shoulder as well.

You chuckled. You placed a hand on her cheek and put your lips on hers for a soft kiss. She took a moment to react, but then you felt her hands strong on your neck.

You raised your left arm and let your dad high-five you, him murmuring a small, “That’s my girl,” before your hand went to Mantis’ back.

When the kiss finished, Mantis stared into your eyes.

There you were.


	2. Follow My Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Guardians are going back to space, which calls for difficult decisions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Biscochito217 on Tumblr requested a second part of this story. 
> 
> Requests are open! (tumblr: young-and-bitchy / request here)

For the past two months, you dreaded the moment the Guardians returned to their job: protect the galaxy, and that fear came true during dinner, when Gamora announced they were going back up in seven days.

Now, Mantis slept peacefully beside you, her mouth open and drool wetting the pillow. All your cherished moments flashed through your eyes: dancing to hip-hop songs, high-fives when she nailed a pop culture reference or used a meme accurate to the situation, painting your now shared bedroom, putting up fairy lights for the holidays, tearing up to This Is Us.

You looked at her, and said, “ **Don’t leave me,**  Mantis.” A lump formed in your throat and you swallowed. “Please.”

But she was asleep.

You sighed and turned off the lamp, attempting to go to sleep for the fourth time that night.

* * *

You were in the locker room of the hospital, changing to go back to the compound, where you lived since you and Mantis had gotten together. You checked your phone and it had a text and a missed phone call from her, a picture of the two of you as your screensaver. She was doing the peace sign, smiling wide with her eyes closed.

“You okay?” Veronica, a nurse that worked with you, asked as she put on a t-shirt. “You seem gloomy.”

“Yeah, just…” You sighed. “My girlfriend is leaving, and… I don’t know when she’ll come back.”

“Yikes, (Y/N),” she replied, sitting on the bench. “That’s shitty.”

“Yeah…” You got up, grabbing your bag. Your phone started ringing again, a selfie of Mantis with her tongue out appearing in your screen.

You declined it.

* * *

Mantis was leaving in three days, and when you saw her sitting on the edge of the bed when you arrived from your nightshift at the hospital, you knew you were about to have a conversation that would break your heart.

“Hey…” You mumbled, leaving the helmet of your motorcycle in your desk.

Mantis was using a t-shirt and scrub pants she’d stolen from one of your uniforms. “What’s going on with you?”

“Whoa. Down to business already?”

“I’m not good at beating around the bush, you know that.”

You raised your hand, but Mantis didn’t return the high five. “No? Okay…” You sighed and laid back against the desk, your hands on the wood. “I just… I don’t want to lose you,” you admitted.

“What?” Mantis’ voice softened, his expression shifting and relaxing.

“You’re… You’re leaving in three days! And the worst part is I heard the news from Gamora, not you. I knew you’d go back to space at some point but I kind of wish you would’ve told me or warned me it was happening,” you confessed, your powerlessness drowning the bedroom. “Wait, no. That’s not the worst part. The worst part is I don’t know when you’re coming back… or if you’re even coming back.” Mantis stayed quiet. “You’re not gonna say anything?”

Mantis got up and walked towards you. “I didn’t tell you anything because I’m not going with them.”

“What?” You inquired, a beacon of hope in the horizon.

“I’m staying on Earth!” Mantis announced. “I was gonna surprise you, but since you’d been avoiding me for days I didn’t know what to tell you. I got a job helping people, like you! But not the exact same. Tony helped me get a job at a fundraiser? It’s nothing big, just walking the streets getting people to donate to our cause, and listen to this: it’s puppies. I work for a charity that helps puppies.” She let out a screech.

You sighed, a sense of selfish relief washing over you. “But… But why are you staying? Isn’t your home with the Guardians, you know, fighting crime and stuff? Isn’t that more exciting?”

“Yeah, but I also want to settle down, and if I want something more exciting, I’ll find myself a problem. I’m kind of good at that,” she said and you snorted. “I’m staying for you. I couldn’t give you up so easily, I mean… You’re amazing. You’re a bad-ass, you don’t lose your patience with me when everyone else does, your clothes are very comfy and you treat me with so much kindness. Besides, there are many things that bed hasn’t seen, okay? I have this ide—“

“Mantis,” you interrupted her. “ **Shut up and kiss me already** ,” you demanded.

With a sly smile, Mantis put her arms around your neck, your hands going instinctively to her waist, one leg of hers between your thighs. Your lips found each other’s, her tongue making  its way inside your mouth, robbing a laschivious smile from you.

She bit your lower lip before finishing the kiss, and your right hand now rested on her butt. “I liked that,” she commented. “I liked that very much.”

“You did, huh?” You inquired, a smirk on your lips. “I did too.”

Mantis smiled and caressed your cheek. “I love you.”

You nodded. “I know. I love you, too.” You met her gaze. “Now…” You walked towards her, making her go backwards until she landed on the bed. “What idea has this bed not seen?”

Mantis raised an arm, her hand closed in a fist. “Yes!” She exclaimed.

You chuckled, taking off your t-shirt and crawling into the bed, laughter filling the bedroom.


End file.
